Variable height garment rack

ABSTRACT

A garment rack having a fixed frame with several sides and a plurality of rods or sections for garment hangers, or the like, disposed within the frame perpendicularly to provide different heights for different hanger rod sections, in which the hanger rod sections are associated with the sides of the frame so that when the frame is moved with relation to a level support surface to rest on a different side, a hanger rod section will be positioned at a different height from the support surface.

United States Patent 1191 Keller I 1451 Aug. 27, 1974 VARIABLE HEIGHT GARMENT RACK [76] Inventor: George C. Keller, 35 E. 38th St.,

New York, NY. 10016 [22] Filed: Nov. 24, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 309,241

[52] U.S. Cl. 211/1, 108/12 [51] Int. Cl. A471 5/01 [58] Field of Search 211/1, 2,177,178 R, 182;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 426,958 4/1890 Redmann 211/1 805,073 11 1905 Kellogg 211/1 986,725 3/1911 Kuntzendorf.... 211/182 3,139,987 7/1964 Rubio et a1. 211/182 3,246,768 4/1966 Carlos 211/178 R 3,272,344 9/1966 Sugden- 211/1 3,744,845 7/1973 Sooker 108/12 FOREIGN PATENTSOR APPLICATIONS 420,209 4/19 aly 211/177 6/1930 Germany... 11/1935 France ..2l1/l82 ..2l|/l82 Primary Examiner-William H. Schultz Assistant Examiner-Thomas .l. Holko Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Edward Halle, Esq.

' 57 ABSTRACT A garment rack having a fixed frame with several sides and a plurality of rods or sections for garment hangers, or the like, disposed within the frame perpendicularly to provide different heights for different hanger rod sections, in which the hanger rod sections are as sociated with the sides of the frame so that when the frame is moved with relation to a level support surface to rest on a different side, a hanger rod section will be positioned at a different height from the support surface.

15 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PAIENTED sum 2W 2 VARIABLE HEIGHT GARMENT RACK BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to variable height garment racks and the like. Many different types of garment racks have been designed and used in the past. Some of them have been of fixed construction in which stretcher members, such as clothes hanger rods or poles, are at a fixed height from a level support surface such as the floor or ground level. Others have been designed with adjustable height rods or stretchers, not fixed into the framework of the rack, to be adjusted vertically to hold items of different lengths such as gowns, suits, coats, dresses of different lengths, and blouses.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved variable height rack for garments and the like in which there are no relative moving parts. A second object is to provide such a rack in a more rigid fixed frame with no loose connections. A third object is to provide a rack which may be adjustable as to height without the use of tools. Still another object is to provide a rack having variable height stretchers which can be adjusted to vertical height by one person having no special mechanical skill in making the adjustment.

The objects of this invention are accomplished in the garment rack illustrated in the accompanying drawings by providing a frame with no relatively movable parts in which hanger and stretcher members in the frame may be positioned with relation to a level floor surface to position such stretchers at various heights from such surface. This is done by moving the whole frame to rest it on its support surface on different sides to present one or more stretchers at different levels with relation to the floor surface, as will be further described hereinbelow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view; partly exploded;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another form of the invention;

FIGS. 3 through 6 are diagrammatic views, in elevation, of the invention in various positions relative to a supporting surface area;

FIG. 7 is a constructional detail in perspective showing frame portions made out of tubular bar material with a square cross sectional form;

FIG. 8 is a structional detail similar to FIG. 7 in perspective showing a round tubular construction;

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view showing a bar of solid metal for use in the frame of the invention; and

FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view showing a bar construction of the frame of the invention made of plastic.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The garment display rack of the invention is designed for use on a level support surface 22 such as a floor, platform or other display area. The display rack 20 has a main frame 24 made of bars or rods or other suitable shapes of metal or plastic or any other suitable material. Sections of the main frame 24 include four corner members, a first corner member 26, a second corner member 28, a third corner member 30 and a fourth corner member 32. The comer members are arranged in substantially parallel rectangular arrange ment so that any two of them may provide a side of the frame 24 to serve as a base to stand the frame 24 on a support surface 22. The main frame 24 also includes a plurality of stretcher frame sections. There is a first stretcher frame section 34, a second stretcher frame section 36, a third stretcher frame section 38 and a fourth stretcher frame section 40. The main frame 24 is completed by providing extensions 42 and 44, as well as L" shaped section 46 comprising extensions 48 and 50, to form the legs of the L 46, respectively.

The four corner members 26 to 32, inclusive, gener' ally define a rectangular figure having two longer sides and two shorter sides in the side elevation. The imaginary rectangle so defined would include the four sides formed by lines drawn directly between the four corner members 26, 28, 30 and 32.

This can be found, for example, in FIG. 3 where imaginary (dotted) lines 36a and 38a have been supplied. The outer imaginary rectangle thus referred to comprises dotted line 36a (a long side), lines 380 and 50 (a short side), lines 34 and 42 (a long side), and lines 40 and 44 (a short side). In this figure the long and short sides are of substantially equal length and substantially parallel.

In the preferred forms of the invention the four stretcher frame sections 34 to 40, inclusive, also-define a second rectangle within the four corners 26 through 32, inclusive. By offsetting one or more of these stretcher frame sections from a line of the first rectangle formed by the corner members 26 through 32, inclusive, the variable height feature of the frame 24 is achieved.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings in which the frame 24 is positioned selectively first with stretcher frame section 36 as the uppermost stretcher frame member, then with stretcher frame 40 as the uppermost member, then with stretcher frame member 34 as the uppermost section and finally in FIG. 6 with stretcher frame member 38 in the uppermost position. It can be seen that by varying the position of the frame with relation to the supporting surface 22 a stretcher frame member (34, 36, 38 or 40) will be presented at a different height for hanging garments of different lengths. This will vary the height of the stretcher frame member positioned as a hanging bar without the necessity of adjusting any movable parts on the frame.

In FIG. 7 a square form tubular element designated by reference numeral 52 is shown. This element actually would comprise stretcher frame section 36, as well as L shaped member 46, comprising extension legs 48 and 50. Thus these elements 36, 48 and 50 can be comprised in a single frame member or section, as shown in FIG. 7, or they can be comprised in three or more separable parts bolted together or welded together. The invention lies in the total formation of the frame rather than in its constructional details and therefore any type of construction known to the art may be em ployed.

If the square form tubular construction of FIG. 7 is used, brackets such as brackets 54 may be bolted to the various parts to be bolted together to form the complete frame 24. If preferred, a tubular construction as shown in FIG. 8 may be employed in which the elements are welded together at joints such as joint 56. In addition, a rod or bar construction of a solid metal as shown in the section FIG. 9 may be used, or the entire device may be molded as a unit or in parts out of plastic such as shown by the sectional view of FIG. I0.

In FIG. 2 of the drawings another form of the device is shown which is essentially a pair of stretcher frame sections in spaced parallel planes connected to the corner frame members. This variation of the form of the invention provides double the number of stretcher frame sections available for hanging garments. Three, four or more parallel sections can be placed together within the frame.

The form of device in FIG. 2 comprises a main frame 124 with frame members 126, 128, 130 and 132. These serve the identical function as the first, second and third and fourth corner frame members of the form of invention in FIG. 1. Parallel stretcher frame members are formed in pairs within parallel planes as follows: 134, 136, 138 and 140. Parallel extensions 142, 144, and L shaped sections 146, similar to extensions 42, 44 and L shaped sections 46 of FIG. 1, are also provided in the parallel planes to complete the frame 124 of garment rack 120, as shown in FIG. 2. Aside from the parallel frame arrangement, rack 120 as shown in FIG. 2 is identical in function to rack as shown in FIG. I and further explanation will be made with respect to the rack of FIG. 1 only with the understanding that it applies equally to the rack 120 of FIG. 2. If desired, additional stretcher frame sections may be added laterally and the frame need not be limited to just one pair.

It is preferred to make the frame of one inch or 1% inches square tubing of an all welded construction, preferably out of steel. While the frames have been described as having been made up ofmany frame elements, it is to be understood that in a welded construction the elements comprising the main frame will be preferably welded together as a unit. Accessories such as glides 58 (described below) may be added by any means known to the art.

The invention as described will provide several variable levels for hanging garments. For example, there are many heights for various garments in the womens ready to wear field. The tallest garments would be gowns, then dresses. blouses and skirts. In addition, there may be other lengths required for other types of garments.

The frame is constructed to present various levels to suit these various heights and thus can be made in various dimensions, depending on the range of heights which it is desired to utilize in each instance. The frames illustrated in the drawings are given as preferred forms which are designed to cover hanging garments on hanger rod frame sections or cross frame corner members from approximately 44 inches to 64 inches off the floor. It is to be understood that in addition to the stretcher frame sections 34, 36, 38 and 40, the cross frame corner members 26, 28, 30 and 32 can be utilized for hanging bars. Reference to FIG. 3 will show that stretcher frame section 36 may be utilized as a hanging bar at one height from surface 22 (see hanger 60), whereas cross frame corners 30 and 32 may be utilized at a second height (see hangers 62 and 64).

In a preferred form the frame 24 or 124 may have the following measurements. Elements 34, 36, I34 and 136 would be approximately 56 inches long. Elements 38, 40, 138 and I40 would be approximately 44 inches long. Elements 42, I42, 44, 144, 48, 148, 50 and would be approximately 8 inches long.

FIG. 3 shows two hanging levels, 44 inches at elements 36 and 48, and 52 inches at cross corner members 30 and 32. FIG. 4 shows a hanging level of 64 inches at elements 28, 40, 44 and 30. FIG. 5 shows a hanging level of 52 inches at elements 26, 42, 34 and 28. FIG. 6 shows a hanging level of 64 inches at elements 34, 50 and 26, and another hanging level of 56 inches at element 38.

Thus the range covered is 44 inches, 52 inches, 56 inches and 64 inches and in FIGS. 3 and 6 two of these levels are covered at the same time.

The above mentioned measurements are given by way of example and of course can be varied to suit various hanging requirements.

While the frame is complete as described'thus far, it may be preferred to add leveling devices at each corner such as: the glides 58 shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings in exploded perspective. These may be adjustable to vary the height of each corner by a fraction of an inch so as to level it with relation to a surface 22. The adjustment mechanism is one that is well known to the art and may be set with a set screw or in any other fashion. The glides 58 will also enable-the racks to be moved about more easily.

The frame described here will provide up to four variable heights. It is a sturdy frame and may be made as strong as unitary construction allows. It is adjustable by one person without the necessity of having any mechanical ability or the use of hand tools and there are no moving parts other than the movement of the entire frame when it is moved from one side to another, as indicated in FIGS. 3 through 6. While I have described my invention in its preferred form, there are other forms it may take coming within the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the frame elements, in addition to being square or round in cross section, may be triangular, or any other shape either tubular or solid. Also, one might wish, for convenience in shipping, to make the frame in knockdown form designed to be assembled at the place of use by means of bolts or other fastening means. In addition, wood or other materials may be used. I therefore desire to be protected for all forms coming within the claims hereinbelow.

Wherefore I claim:

1. A variable height rack having stretchers upon which to hang articles comprising a main frame being selectively positionable in a plurality of positions relative to a substantially level support surface, said main frame comprising four corners said corners positioned respectively at the angles defining an imaginary rectangle having two longer sides and two shorter sides in side elevation, said main frame further comprising in side elevation at least three stretchers forming side elevational perimeter portions of said frame with a first stretcher positioned longitudinally along a line between a first and second of said corners, and a second stretcher being positioned longitudinally along a line offset inwardly from and substantially parallel to a line between a third and fourth of said corners and a third stretcher being positioned longitudinally along a line offset from all of the corners and substantially perpendicular to said first and second stretchers; whereby said main frame may be positioned selectively with any selected pair of adjacent corners positioned on said substantially level support surface with one of said stretchers disposed in spaced horizontal relationship to said level supporting surface so that each of said three stretchers when so selectively horizontally disposed are spaced a different distance from said level support surface.

2. The rack as claimed in claim 1 having a plurality of parallel first, second and third stretchers in spaced parallel planes.

3. The rack as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a fourth stretcher offset from and substantially parallel to said third stretcher and disposed with relation to said main frame to be spaced a different distance from said level support surface than the first three mentioned stretchers when disposed horizontally relative to said level supportsurface.

4. The rack as claimed in claim 3, in which the fourth stretcher is disposed along a line between said second and third corners.

5. The rack as claimed in claim 3, having a plurality of parallel first, second, third and fourth stretchers in spaced parallel planes.

6. The rack as claimed in claim 5, in which the corners are substantially perpendicular to the planes in which the stretchers lie, and the main frame is made of tubular welded steel.

7. The rack as claimed in claim 6 having at least one pair of sets of stretchers andglide means attached to the corners.

8. The rack as claimed in claim 3, in which the stretchers and the corners are comprised of at least one bar.

9. The rack as claimed in claim 8, in which the bar is tubular.

10. The rack as claimed in claim 8, in which the bar is rectangular in cross section.

11. The rack as claimed in claim 8, in which the bar is circular in cross section.

12. The rack as claimed in claim 3, in which the main frame is unitary.

13. The rack as claimed in claim 3, in which there are at least one series of first, second, third and fourth stretchers formed into the main frame with at least one of said stretchers comprising L shaped ends.

14. The rack as claimed in claim 3, in which the four corners are disposed substantially perpendicularly to a plane within which the stretchers lie.

15. The rack as claimed in claiml4 having glide means attached to the ends of the corner members. 

1. A variable height rack having stretchers upon which to hang articles comprising a main frame being selectively positionable in a plurality of positions relative to a substantially level support surface, said main frame comprising four corners said corners positioned respectively at the angles defining an imaginary rectangle having two longer sides and two shorter sides in side elevation, said main frame further comprising in side elevation at least three stretchers forming side elevational perimeter portions of said frame with a first stretcher positioned longitudinally along a line between a first and second of said corners, and a second stretcher being positioned longitudinally along a line offset inwardly from and substantially parallel to a line between a third and fourth of said corners and a third stretcher being positioned longitudinally along a line offset from all of the corners and substantially perpendicular to said first and second stretchers; whereby said main frame may be positioned selectively with any selected pair of adjacent corners positioned on said substantially level support surface with one of said stretchers disposed in spaced horizontal relationship to said level supporting surface so that each of said three stretchers when so selectively horizontally disposed are spaced a different distance from said level support surface.
 2. The rack as claimed in claim 1 having a plurality of parallel first, second and third stretchers in spaced parallel planes.
 3. The rack as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a fourth stretcher offset from and substantially parallel to said third stretcher and disposed with relation to said main frame to be spaced a different distance from said level support surface than the first three mentioned stretchers when disposed horizontally relative to said level support surface.
 4. The rack as claimed in claim 3, in which the fourth stretcher is disposed along a line between said second and third corners.
 5. The rack as claimed in claim 3, having a plurality of parallel first, second, third and fourth stretchers in spaced parallel planes.
 6. The rack as claimed in claim 5, in which the corners are substantially perpendicular to the planes in which the stretchers lie, and the main frame is made of tubular welded steel.
 7. The rack as claimed in claim 6 having at least one paiR of sets of stretchers and glide means attached to the corners.
 8. The rack as claimed in claim 3, in which the stretchers and the corners are comprised of at least one bar.
 9. The rack as claimed in claim 8, in which the bar is tubular.
 10. The rack as claimed in claim 8, in which the bar is rectangular in cross section.
 11. The rack as claimed in claim 8, in which the bar is circular in cross section.
 12. The rack as claimed in claim 3, in which the main frame is unitary.
 13. The rack as claimed in claim 3, in which there are at least one series of first, second, third and fourth stretchers formed into the main frame with at least one of said stretchers comprising L shaped ends.
 14. The rack as claimed in claim 3, in which the four corners are disposed substantially perpendicularly to a plane within which the stretchers lie.
 15. The rack as claimed in claim 14 having glide means attached to the ends of the corner members. 